The Two-Way

10:53 am

Mon April 8, 2013

'Independent Adviser' To Review Rutgers' Actions

Mike Rice, who was then Rutgers' men's basketball coach, during a game last season.

David Pokress Ai Wire /Landov

Rutgers University says it plans to have an "independent adviser ... conduct a review of the circumstances surrounding the men's basketball program as well as the procedures used to investigate allegations related to former head coach Mike Rice."

There's also word that late Monday morning, school President Robert Barchi is due to face what may be an angry and frustrated group of students and faculty at a town hall meeting on the school's campus in Newark.

As The Associated Press reports, some faculty members have demanded Barchi's resignation, citing his approval last year of a suspension for Rice rather than his immediate firing. Barchi, however, received a nod of support from the school's board of governors following Rice's dismissal.

In case you're just catching up on the story from that state school in New Jersey, coach Rice was fired last week after ESPN broadcast video taken at the team's practices. It showed him physically and verbally abusing the players.

Later in the week, Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned from his post. He had seen the video last December. But rather than firing Rice, it was decided at that time to suspend and fine the coach. Pernetti says he initially wanted to dismiss Rice, but that the December decision to keep the coach was based on advice from the school's lawyers and human resources department.

Barchi said Friday that he regrets not seeing the video last December, and that he moved to fire Rice last week as soon as he saw what the coach had done.

Meanwhile, the AP adds that the FBI is investigating whether the former assistant coach who leaked the video, Eric Murdock, has pressed the university for money. Murdock has sued Rutgers. He contends he was wrongfully fired from his job last year because he blew the whistle on Rice's behavior.